LITMIR.BIZ

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curiosity given her man-candy bookends?

      Maybe he thought she’d run if he didn’t hold on to her.

      Or maybe he felt the same remainder of simmering intimacy that kept her too warm. She’d slept with him—and loved it.

      “Cat?”

      She realized both Leese and Justice watched her. With a subdued nod, she allowed them to lead her outside.

      Crisp, cold air filled the parking garage, undisturbed by the morning sunshine. She’d left her hair down to help keep her ears warm, and dressed in a bulky sweater over a long-sleeved T-shirt, jeans, thick socks and the trusted boots.

      Still she shivered.

      Of course Leese noticed. “Start the car,” he told Justice. “I’ll put the luggage away.”

      “You riding in back again?”

      Leese gave her a long, level look. “Yeah.”

      Shoving her hands in the pockets of her coat and ducking her face, Cat said, “You don’t have to babysit me. I’m not going anywhere.” Probably.

      “We have to talk, remember?” He brought up her chin. “That’ll be easier to do if I’m sitting with you.”

      Insane that his fingers were warm despite the cold. “Suit yourself.”

      “I think I will.”

      The nice Lexus SUV hummed to life and a second later the rear door opened, apparently from a button Justice had pushed. Leese opened a back door for her, waited until she’d gotten in, then went back to lift in the luggage.

      Stewing, Cat wondered what to tell him, how much she should trust him, until she heard approaching footsteps. Even before she looked, she knew. Her heart went into her throat. “Oh no,” she whispered.

      “Hello, Cat.”

      Smothered in the grip of dread, she looked up and into the face of Tesh Coleman. Of course he had two muscle men in tow.

      The urge to run spiked her pulse just as Leese closed the back hatch and then her door. He stood there, blocking her view, his body between her and the three men.

      She looked at the opposite door, gauging her chances of getting out as the automatic locks on the door clicked into place. Justice, one brawny arm along the back of the seat, stared out the side window at the men. “Don’t be hasty,” he told her.

      Oh God, was he in on it? Was Leese?

      Before that fear could fully take hold, Leese said, “That’s close enough.”

      Given the quiet in the garage, Cat could hear every word. Hastily, she moved left and right, trying to find an angle so she could also see what was happening.

      “Friends of yours?” Justice asked.

      She punched him in the arm and snapped, “No.”

      “Then don’t distract Leese.”

      Her heart maintained a wild drumbeat. “I have to see.”

      He hesitated, then moved his arm, making it easier for her to lean forward and look out the passenger window.

      Tesh’s black eyes immediately locked on to her and he slowly smiled. The fact that he looked so pleased to see her only amplified her terror, making it impossible to swallow, almost impossible to breathe.

      He was as big as Justice, dark, menacing.

      Dangerous.

      “I have to go,” she whispered.

      As if her life didn’t hang in the balance, Justice said, “Nope.”

      She had to try. “Leese said I didn’t have to stay—”

      “Yeah, well, for the moment, staying put is the way to go.”

      The awful silence outside the car left her shaking. The men stared at each other, Leese relaxed, waiting, Tesh and his two cronies quietly appraising.

      Finally Tesh pulled off a stocking cap and ran a hand over his clean-shaven head. Almost with apology, he said, “I need the girl.”

      “No.”

      “I work for her father.” Slowly, making sure Leese knew he didn’t go for a gun, Tesh opened his coat and withdrew credentials.

      Leese didn’t bother looking. “Doesn’t matter who you work for. You’re not touching her.”

      Cat’s spine turned into a noodle. Doesn’t matter. Leese wouldn’t hand her over?

      Tesh scrutinized him, then gave it another shot. “Look, I understand your position. I really do. The thing is, her father hired me and I need to—”

      “You’re wasting my time.”

      Scowling now, an ugly, fearsome sight, Tesh took a step closer. He spoke low in an obnoxious man-to-man way. “There’s no need for violence. I’m only going to take her back to her father, where she belongs.”

      “Actually,” Leese said, his arms loose, his posture absurdly relaxed, “you’re not taking her anywhere.”

      Nostrils flaring, Tesh jerked out a cell phone. “You can call Mr. Nicholson.”

      “Why would I bother? I don’t work for him.”

      “The hell you don’t! Who do you think hired your agency?”

      Leese shrugged. “I wasn’t told. My job is to keep her safe and that’s what I’ll do.”

      “From her father? Get real, man.” And then, more gently, Tesh promised, “You don’t want to do this.”

      Cat covered her mouth. She couldn’t let Leese get hurt. She had to—

      Justice nudged her. “You’re being a silly girl. Stop it.”

      She was about to blast him when Tesh threw a sucker punch, making her jump with a startled screech.

      Leese ducked, Tesh’s fist hit the car and then somehow—it was all a fast blur—Tesh was on the ground with Leese standing over him.

      There wasn’t enough oxygen in the car to feed her starved lungs. Hands and nose pressed to the glass, Cat watched as Leese decided Tesh was done, then put his full focus on the other two men, beckoning them forward.

      They didn’t take the bait, choosing to wait for instructions from Tesh.

      Leese showed his annoyance. “You walk away or not. Doesn’t much matter to me. Either way, you’re not touching her.”

      Appearing surprised, still flat on his back, Tesh touched his nose and stared at the blood on his fingers. Smirking, he sat up and dug a handkerchief from his pocket.

      Who carried a hankie anymore? Tesh wasn’t that old, maybe early fifties. And the man was definitely in his prime. If he wasn’t so corrupt, she might have even called him handsome.

      But her perception of his looks had been skewed for a very long time, starting with the first time he’d looked her over in such an inappropriate way, and reinforced when he began referring to her as Kitten instead of Cat. She saw him only as an imposing terror—a very real menace...to her and to others.

      With his gaze cutting her way, Tesh told Leese, “This isn’t your fight.”

      “I have a job to do.”

      That regained his attention. “That’s all she is to you? A job?”

      Leese chose not to answer, which even Cat thought was sort of an indictment of his determination. He offered silent confirmation that her relationship with him, or lack thereof, didn’t factor in. Either way, he’d protect her.

      He’d said so, and for the first time in so very, very long, she felt a hint of promise, as if she could finally believe in someone. Tears stung her

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